Top 10 Dorm Room Essentials

Back to school, whether you are preparing to go away for the first time or preparing to go back, it’s time to make a list of what you need. We did a friendly poll and asked the question “What do you need when you go back to school?” – below are the top 10 answers.

#1 Laptop

Laptops are essential to campus life. When looking to purchase a laptop it is good to keep a few things in mind.

Size – pick a portable size, something light that can be stored easily

Processors – faster is always better. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on a processor either, there are less expensive processors that will easily handle students’ web, email, word processor, and spreadsheet requirements.

Memory and Hard Drive – You may want to talk to university about minimum requirements of memory and what size Hard Drive you may need. Your university may offer shared space on a network server for student files.

Battery Life – It may not always be easy to plug in on the go, so you may want to find a battery that can last at least 5 hours.

You may not have time to stop by the library before class to print out that paper that’s due. Having your own printer can come in handy. You do not need anything fancy, just something reliable. The HP Wireless All-In-One Printer can easily handle printing out papers and other assignments.

#3 TV

Every student enjoys downtime in their dorm room watching their favorite TV shows. Dorm rooms tend to be small so no need for a big screen, a screen between 24” and 39” should be fine. You can get a Proscan 32” Class LED HDTV for under $200. I would suggest, if possible, mounting your TV to the wall instead of buying a TV stand, you will save money and space.

#4 Mini Fridge

Anybody who has lived on campus will tell you, you need a mini fridge. It is perfect for storing drinks and small snacks. A mini fridge will save you a little cash too. Instead of buying an individual drink every day, you can buy a 6 or 12 pack of your favorite drink, buying in bulk is much cheaper. Same goes for small snacks like fruit. When you are on the go and have no time to sit and have breakfast, grabbing an apple or orange from your mini fridge on the way out the door can be a great convenience.

#5 Microwave

So much for home cooking you’re in college now! Don’t be too worried you will be amazed how many recipes you can find for cooking with a microwave online. This is one of my favorite sites for awesome microwave recipes. Just like the mini fridge having a microwave will save you money as well. Going out for meals everyday can be costly, having the option to make a few of your own meals will minimize how much you eat out.

#6 Desk

Sometimes you can’t always get to the library having a place to do your school work is key. When looking for a desk you want to find a size that will easily fit in the space you will be occupying and also room for your laptop to sit. The Bell’O Computer Desk/Workcenter is perfect for the dorm, with a built in shelf you can store some of books as well.

#7 Chair

Well you can’t have a desk without a chair. Besides personal use, an extra sitting area other than the bed can come in handy when you have guests. We have an excellent suggestion for you, Office Star Task Chair, wheels, adjustable height, and on sale right now!

#8 Fan

So it seems even when it’s not summer time a fan is a dorm room essential. You will most likely have no control over the temperature of your dorm room and a fan can help keep a comfortable temperature as well as circulate the air. Fans are inexpensive and take up little room so they are perfect for small spaces.